What Are You Reading?

[Peaches]

I 'm reading the Stephanie Plum series of books by Janet Evanovich. They are very funny, light, fluffy reading. I read for stress relief, so I am keeping it fun and entertaining for the moment.
I have asked for Larry Garrison's book for my birthday, so maybe I will start that one soon.

I love the Stephanie Plum series.  I have read them all.

I just finished Larry Garrison's book.  

I'm currently reading Suzanne Somer's new book about bioidentical hormones.  I forgot the name of it.  

I'm also reading "The Twelfth Card" by Jeffrey Deaver.  It's a Lincoln Rhyme novel.

[LilPuma]

I recently finished Michael Baden's Remains Silent.  Yes, that's Dr. Michael Baden from cable news.  The main character is a coroner and I really enjoyed it.  

I'm now reading one of Nelson DeMille's older books, The Gold Coast.  It's a departure from his other books that I've read but I'm enjoying it.  For any Vietnam War era folks, I'd recommend Up Country by DeMille.  It's about a retired Army guy who goes back to Vietnam to investigate an incident from back during the war.  He meets up with a woman who is supposed to help him with papers, travel arrangements, etc., because she knows the country.  So along with stories of the war, he encounters some scary and exciting situations and of course, there's the woman.....  Two quotes I loved from this book:  This woman is much younger than him and at one point he looks at her and says, "To you, Vietnam is a country; to me, it's a war."  Poignant, I thought and I realized that to me, Vietnam is a war also .   The other is this woman, who smokes, always has a cigarette after sex with him.  She says she should quit.  Then says maybe she could just smoke after sex.  He says, "That's still half a pack a day!"     DeMille has a wry sense of humor and keeps you in suspense.  

As for raising nerds, I'll remind you that Bill Gates was, and still is, a nerd.

[Cat]

I read L.Garrison's book.I am now reading "Snow" by the Nobel prize winning author Pamuk.He reminds of Faulkner.CAT

[LouiseVargas]

Well, I went to Amazon today and purchased Culture Warrior, The Audacity of Hope, Bush At War, and three CDs. Springsteen's The Seeger Sessions, Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris' new one which did not get the best of reviews but I listened to a sample of every song and I loved it, plus a ten year old one by Emmylou called Wrecking Ball, produced by Daniel Lanois.

[A's Fever]

Well, I went to Amazon today and purchased Culture Warrior, The Audacity of Hope, Bush At War, and three CDs. Springsteen's The Seeger Sessions, Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris' new one which did not get the best of reviews but I listened to a sample of every song and I loved it, plus a ten year old one by Emmylou called Wrecking Ball, produced by Daniel Lanois.

Good for you!  Happy reading and listening.  I just heard a Kate Wolf song on the radio today that was so sweet and haunting I have to go and buy it:  Across the Great Divide.  I hardly know who she is so I Googled her and found that she passed in 1986.  

Louise, this is totally OT, but I have been wanting to ask you if you have any impressions of Jerry Brown.  I know you have been in LA for a long time so you probably have some thoughts on him.  

Actually, I can make this on topic!  I have a book by Jerry Brown called Dialogues (1980's?) in which he engages in conversations with many thinkers and activists from a variety of fields, and the arts, whose thinking could be considered progressive and "outside the box".   I find him very intelligent and engaging but that whole Gov. Moonbeam thing seems to stick!  So I am wondering what you and other monkeys think about him these days.

[LouiseVargas]

Dear A's Fever,

I've always been impressed with Jerry Brown, even before he was governor of CA. His father Pat Brown was also a CA governor. I hate the Governor Moonbeam thing, which I think came from his embracing dialogues with thinkers and artists. Linda Ronstadt was his girlfriend. He later became mayor of Oakland. I am sure he will win his bid tomorrow for Attorney General of CA.

[A's Fever]

Dear A's Fever,

I've always been impressed with Jerry Brown, even before he was governor of CA. His father Pat Brown was also a CA governor. I hate the Governor Moonbeam thing, which I think came from his embracing dialogues with thinkers and artists. Linda Ronstadt was his girlfriend. He later became mayor of Oakland. I am sure he will win his bid tomorrow for Attorney General of CA.

Thanks, LV.

[mrs. red]

I do hope that when y'all buy from Amazon you use the SM link... it helps support the site, so please keep that in mind.


I just read Al Franken and Ann Coulter... swearing off all political books from now on... whew!!

[LouiseVargas]

Ooops, Mrs. Red, I didn't realize we had an Amazon link. I will use it in the future.

[mrs. red]

Ooops, Mrs. Red, I didn't realize we had an Amazon link. I will use it in the future.

Thanks LV... it's at the bottom of each page and on the front page... I knew I could count on you!!!  

[Cat]

Thank you,Mrs Red.I didn't know about the link either.CAT

[msmarple]

I just noticed this thread. I'm a reader from way back.

Most amazing novel I've read in a long time is "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver.

For light reading, I've always headed toward true crime & mysteries. I have nearly all of Agatha Christie, and all of Sherlock Holmes, for starters. My favorite of Agatha's is "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd".

Elizabeth George and Ruth Rendell write very up-scale contemporary mysteries set in England. (Need to read Elizabeth George in sequence; she has continuing characters.)

Dennis Lehane's "Mystic River" and "Shutter Island" are excellent reads. He does a wonderful job of putting atmosphere in a story.

For deeper reading, I like historical non-fiction. I've done marathons on European monarchies. This began when I became interested in Nicholas & Alexandria, the last, tragic rulers of Russia - the influence of Rasputin, their hemophiliac only son ... The hemophilia traced through all of the European ruling families.  Henry VIII is good for a focused study - worth reading several books about him. Same is true of Louis and Marie Antoinette.

And I've read dozens of works about World War II. "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" by William L. Shirer is a good jumping-off place.

[A's Fever]

Hi Ms. Marple,

Now why does it not surprise me that you like mysteries?????

Poisonwood Bible, a wonderful novel, a real achievement.  Kingsolver's abililty to develop so many characters over time and place is very impressive.  I also read her novel Prodigal Summer which is a really good read but not as impressive as PB.  She is such a good storyteller!

Just finished Wallace Stegner's All the Little Live Things.  Very good, very engrossing novel about culture clash in the 1960's.

[msmarple]

Hi A's,

After I read Poisonwood, I got several more books by her. They were enjoyable reads - she is very skilled. But "The Poisonwood Bible" surely is her magus opus. All those palindromes!

[pdh3]

Well, I went to Amazon today and purchased Culture Warrior, The Audacity of Hope, Bush At War, and three CDs. Springsteen's The Seeger Sessions, Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris' new one which did not get the best of reviews but I listened to a sample of every song and I loved it, plus a ten year old one by Emmylou called Wrecking Ball, produced by Daniel Lanois.

I have loved Emmylou for years. She is from my hometown of Birmingham, AL, so I kind of grew up listening to her. She is beautiful, and very gifted as a singer/songwriter. I always keep in mind that each review is subjective, so I just buy what I like. Isn't that the purpose of music anyway - to give the

[pdh3]

I have computer gremlins today.  

My last sentence was supposed to say that the purpose of music is to give enjoyment to the listener.

[LouiseVargas]

Yes, honey pdh3,

If I like a singer or group, it doesn't much matter to me about the reviews. I just love Emmylou and have all of her CDs. If not for her and Dave Holloway, I would have no clue where Meridian is.

xoxoxoxoxo

[mrs. red]

Hey Ms Marple...  do you ever read the alphabet mysteries that Sue Grafton writes?  Those are a fun read....

also, have any of you ever read Joan Hess and Magody mysteries?  They are so clever and a lot of fun!!

[msmarple]

Hey Ms Marple...  do you ever read the alphabet mysteries that Sue Grafton writes?  Those are a fun read....

also, have any of you ever read Joan Hess and Magody mysteries?  They are so clever and a lot of fun!!

I think I read one of Sue Grafton's. No Joan Hess and Magody.

Here's a lightweight, fun series: Diane Mott Davidson writes about a caterer who always manages to wind up solving murders. GOOD recipes included. Titles are cute: "The Cereal Murders"  "Dying for Chocolate"  "Killer Pancake"  "Sticks and Scones"  "Chopping Spree" etc.

And a very interesting series: Nevada Barr writes about a National Park Ranger, Anna Pigeon, who fortunately gets assigned to different parks, where of course a murder immediately occurs. What's great is that she's a good writer, brings the history and atmosphere of the park into the story. Usually includes a map of the park. An especially spooky one was set in Dry Tortugas; includes the story of Dr. Mudd, who was imprisoned there after setting John Wilkes Booth's leg. Another thing I like is that Anna is not a beautiful young babe; I think she's 40-ish.